EA have announced that this weekend is a double XP weekend for Battlefield 3's fans.

Any experience points gained across all maps and modes on ranked servers will be doubled, and PC and Xbox 360 owners who signed up for Battlefield Premium should now have early access to Close Quarters following the DLC's release on PS3 last week.

The Double XP Weekend kicks off at 8.01am BST on June 16th, and will run until 7.59am BST on June 18th.

Well it was inevitable. A new tidbit of Battlefield news, from an "unofficial, but very reliable source" has surfaced, suggesting that EA may well be about to unleash a premium service for Battlefield 3, not unlike Call of Duty: Elite.

There's something wrong here. I'm stumbling about from checkpoint to checkpoint, helping to secure positions for my team as one would normally in Conquest mode in a Battlefield game. I can hear gunfire in the distance, and chatter over the headphones, but something's off and it's rather obvious what it is, too. There are no tanks in sight. Not even the whiff of a tank. No jeeps, no trucks, no buggies, no planes...and no tanks whatsoever.

What's more, Battlefield 3 is failing to live up to its name. There's not a field in view, just alabaster pillars, marble floors, mosiac-ridden courtyards, and walls. Everywhere. Walls. Honestly, if things weren't so gloriously shiny, courtesy of Frostbite 2, you'd never guess that this was Battlefield 3.

Perhaps that's the point. Just as we see examples of the proverb that begins "if it ain't broke..." numerous times in this industry, it's perhaps a bit refreshing to see a studio taking on a "nothing ventured..." approach. Except that it looks like breaking new ground for Battlefield 3's claustrophobic expansion - Close Quarters - means giving up the series' eponymous staple in terms of competitive staging, and turning more towards the competition.

So is this exciting new territory for DICE, or further echoes of the cries of COD-wannabe that accompanied BF3's singleplayer campaign?

There's a new variation of Conquest to be had in EA's upcoming Battlefield 3 expansion - "Close Quarters" - that's altogether more claustrophobic, more intense, and more chaotic. Taking the action inside, this latest trailer for Close Quarters shows off the destructible environments of the Donya Fortress, which we got to test out last week. You'll be able to catch up with our Close Quarters preview and interview tomorrow.

Close Quarters is coming this June, launching on Ps3 a week before Xbox 360 and PC.

Battlefield 3's massive latest patch has finally made its way to the Xbox 360 today, and with it, the promised 'Rent A Server' functionality that allows console owners to temporarily buy access to their own dedicated servers. Private, public, ranked or unranked matches can be set up and tweaked to your own specifications, all while removing any hint of host advantage/disadvantage or lag.

Console Players Will Be Able To Rent Dedicated Servers

EA has revealed three new DLC expansions for Battlefield 3, set to release between June and "winter." Players can expect a claustrophobic infantry-only experience in Close Quarters, while heavy metal shenanigans will be provided by Armoured Kill. End Game, the fourth expansion, is still a mystery but has been confirmed for year's end. On top of this trifold bombardment, EA has also confirmed that console players will soon be able to rent their own dedicated servers.

After Battlefield 3: Aftershock released on the iOS devices in mid-February, a deluge of negative reviews forced EA to pull the deeply flawed free shooter from the App Store. EA has now confirmed that the title has been permanently suspended and won't return to the App Store - citing their commitment to providing "the highest level of quality mobile entertainment."

"In the interest of bringing consumers only the highest level of quality mobile entertainment, EA Mobile has decided to suspend development and support of Battlefield 3: Aftershock and refocus its resources on other titles. The Aftershock servers will be live through March 31st, 2012, and customers who have already downloaded the game can continue to play until then."

If you were (un)fortunate to download it, you have less than a month to play online before the servers go down. [Vox Games]

Hidden within EA's quarterly financial report is an interesting comment from their VP Of Investor relations that should set Battlefield 3 fans' hearts racing. Peter Ausnit suggests that new content for Battlefield 3 will be unveiled next week as part of a push to ensure a "constant flow" of DLC for their major franchises.

"We've got plans for all of our major franchises to turn them into more of... games for service that have a constant flow of downloadable content. You're going to hear some announcements from us on Battlefield actually as early as next week in an event we've got in New York."

EA has announced that the Physical Warfare Pack DLC for Battlefield 3, previously a PS3-exclusive preorder item, is now available on PC and Xbox Live for free. The pack includes the DAO-12 shotgun, shotgun flechette ammo, SKS flash suppressor and the Type 88 Light Machine Gun - and you can find it within the in-game store or freely downloadable in Battlelog.

Sharqi Peninsula Map Shown Off

Battlefield 3's 'Back To Karkand' expansion pack is now available on PC, Playstation 3 and Xbox 360, so if you're a regular on DICE's phenomenal shooter and have change to spare, don't waste time reading this article; download it now! However, if you're still swinging your feet on the proverbial fence, unsure about it all, then DICE has deployed a visual artillery strike in the form of a launch trailer to force you in to action.

Showcasing the much-loved Sharqi Peninsula map from Battlefield 2, recreated in Frostbite 2.0 with extraordinary new detail and effects, but still the same deadly mix of close-quarters gunplay and long-distance sniping thanks to the varied terrain and landmarks. It's sure to be a delight for older fans, and tantalizing enough to snare some new ones. [Youtube]